This is the recipe I have used for years and years. It is from my mom’s very best friend -Mary Francis Christy. It is simple and so very good and the technique, you must admit makes it even better. I have made these for years and years when I just want a simple biscuit to go with my dinner and maybe a couple left over for breakfast the next day.

I do not have self-rising flour in the house often, unless I plan on some biscuits and in this case, I was not thinking ahead. If I don’t have self-rising flour, I do know how to make it out of all-purpose flour.

You can also drop them onto an parchment-lined baking sheet, but the muffin tin thing is so much easier and they cook at the same time because they are the same size. Great, or what? Yep, great.

Sorry – since we are in the Biscuit Project, I really think these beat the drop biscuits from Cook’s Country. But you must understand – they are in Boston – that should tell you everything you need to know.

Although, I will allow that the technique here – baking the biscuits in muffin tins really makes a big difference. Cook’s Country – take note.

My mom and Mary Francis were like two peas in a pod. It was like having a local aunt, since all my real aunts live in North Carolina or beyond. I loved going to her house and I loved it too when she came to our house. Every time we just hung out in the kitchen and sort of saw what happened.

It is good to have people like that in your life when you are still impressionable – you know – what they now call tweens. But I’ve always been happier in the kitchen than anywhere else.

This is my go-to recipe for cornbread. Again, another recipe from a friend that I have been making for years. It is so damn good I take leftover, if there are any, to work for breakfast – split it open, toast it in the toaster oven and cover it in Kerry Gold Irish butter. One of the best breakfasts, um, ever. Sometimes I gild the lily and add some extra-sharp cheddar before the toasting.

Now I must make this for the upcoming week at work.

That said, this is what I make to go with chili. I want the cornbread in the bottom of the bowl and chili on top with some extra sharp cheddar, scallions or chives, and sour cream. Oh, and a squeeze of lime never hurt this party.

1 cup self-rising cornmeal (you can make this if you just have plain cornmeal)
2 large eggs
1 small can of cream corn – I use Publix brand, it is really good.
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup canola oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9×9″ baking dish with cooking spray. Combine all ingredients, mixing well. Pour into pan and bake for 20 – 30 minutes. You will know it is finished when it starts to pull away from the side and the bottom is slightly brown (that is, if you are using a glass baking dish).

My mom made drop biscuits a lot for dinner. I would make them into my dessert. Split a biscuit open, add lots (yes, lots) of butter, and then some honey. You have to eat this with a fork because otherwise you end up with honey all over your fingers. Or at least that’s what happens to me.

Compared to my mom’s best friend’s sour cream biscuits – Mary Francis Christie – that woman could really cook. And I made those biscuits over and over again – so the challenge is on. Along with lots of other drops biscuits that I have yet to try.

I have to say, I was underwhelmed with these biscuits. The flavor was pretty good, but the biscuits were just kind of on the flat side. I didn’t fiddle with the recipe either – did it just as prescribed. I did take them to work for breakfast and spilt them and put them in a toaster oven, added butter, and honey and the taste was good – crunch from the toasting was nice, but they were not my idea of a biscuit.

More experimentation in the future. Damn, make me try more biscuits, my life is so difficult, right?